Fogrot
by Ultichi
Summary: Because sometimes, fogrot says it all.
1. The Difference

_**Chapter One---The Difference**_

It had long since grown dark but the blonde that sat on the edge of the bed made no effort to move or turn on the lights. He liked it better dark. If it was dark, then he couldn't see and if he couldn't see, he wouldn't be reminded that he was alone.

_"I'm sorry Cloud… it… it just isn't, didn't… __**won't**__ work."_

Those horrible words still echoed in his mind, torturing him with their finality. It was over. Five years and it was _over_. Some part of Cloud was angry… furious. What did that silver haired twit have that Cloud didn't? Sighing, Cloud had to laugh at himself.

Sephiroth Disarrano had everything. Money, looks, charm, intelligence, great style _and_ great abs. Cloud looked at his own abs. His were great too but Sephiroth just held that allure, that intrigue, that Zack had always been drawn to; Except he used to be drawn to the mystery that was Cloud. The mystery had worn off after so many years together.

_"It wasn't meant to be."_

Zack Fair had effectively taken what was left of Cloud's heart and shattered it on a concrete floor. Staring at his darkened ceiling, Cloud thought back on Zack's departure. It hurt. It turned his world into disarray but somehow, deep down, Cloud knew it was better off this way. He needed to get out of this place. Zack Fair didn't know, it but he'd just given Cloud his life back.

Cheating bastard.

* * *

"Hellur? Oh! Cloudy!!! Why are you calling me?" Sora smiled at his phone, tilting his head in question as if Cloud could actually see him.

"Yea, that would be so great! Of course you can stay with us!" Axel slapped himself (quite a bit harder than he'd initially intended too) when he heard his brother invite Cloud Strife to stay with them. Thank _God_ Cloud never stayed for long-

"The summer? Of course that's ok! Axel doesn't mind, do you Axel?" Axel held up a finger, about to protest when Sora continued on, ignoring the red head completely.

"See? It's all settled, you'll stay with us this summer! Don't worry, we'll find you some super hot babelicious boy toy and you'll forget all about that fogrot whatshisface… yea, sure, that. Whatever, we'll see you tomorrow!!!"

Snapping his phone shut Sora turned to Axel.

"Axel, isn't this exciting?! The three of us. Together. For the _entire_ summer vacation!" Sora threw his arms around the taller teens neck before waltzing off to do whatever it was that had entered that pretty little head of his, leaving Axel very upset and out of cigarettes.

* * *

"God, this summer couldn't _get _any worse and it hasn't even started! I swear, Karma or Fate or whoever that bitch is, has it out for me." Axel fumed, pacing back and forth in front of a bemused Vincent Valentine. Axel had called him in a foul mood, asking if it was alright that he to go to the studio and get some melodies out of his head. Vincent, of course, had obliged, bringing the pack of Camel's he knew Axel would be out of if his nasty disposition was any indicator.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you're making it out to be… wait, what's going on? You never told me and I brought you your cancer sticks." Vincent's crimson eyes watched long fingers tangle in red tresses as Axel growled and finally stilled, sitting beside him.

"My cousin Cloud is coming. I mean, Sora loves him and all, and he _is_ my cousin, but come on! Can anyone be more of a whiney-emo-mood-killing brat? All he does is sit there and glare or sulk or… or… whatever the hell it is that he does! I swear if he just put on some eyeliner he'd be the friggin' Emo Poster Boy. I've _never_ seen the guy smile. Not even when he _was_ with that stupid butt-wipe boyfriend of his!" Vincent started at this and turned to look the teen in the eye.

"Zack and Cloud broke up?" If Axel didn't know better, he'd swear the raven haired man was surprised. Good thing he knew better.

"Yea they- wait. You _know_ this fogrot?" Axel stopped and mentally slapped himself. He spent _way_ too much time with Sora.

"We all went to high school together. They've been together since our junior year… contrary to what you think, Cloud used to smile a lot and Zack was a good guy." Axel snorted rather unattractively, inhaling deeply on his menthol.

"Yea, right, well this _good _guy left the retarded loser for some Sephiroth guy. Cloud's all broken up about it or some crap and has decided to stay the summer. That was the whole point of this little expedition, by the way."

"Of course, heaven forbid you ever come by because you want to see me." The corner of Vincent's lips were slightly turned upward in a figment of a smirk, while Axel scoffed and walked away, leaving the man staring at his rather attractive backside.

"Right, because we _both_ know the only person in this town worth coming to see is me. Keep your priorities straight, Jesus."

* * *

A.n:

_Elli-san_: -crickets chirp- Oo No, I'm fine.

**Ulti-chan**: Shakes head Remember folks, this has been an Ultimate Sorceress and Ellichi production, drive safely and don't say bad words!

_Elli-san_: You freak.

Review!!!

Ultichi!


	2. Old Friends, New Friends

_**Chapter Two---Old Friends, New Friends**_

Axel awoke in a very good mood. He had a new pack of Camel's, the sun was out, and today they were going to record a new song. Nothing could ruin this glorious morning. As Axel stretched and pulled on some jeans, a wicked idea entered his demented mind and he snuck quietly into Sora's room. Not that he really _had_ to sneak; Sora could sleep through just about anything. Standing over the brunette, Axelrubbed his hands together gleefully before pouncing on his little brother, tickling him mercilessly from his pleasant slumber.

"HOLY SHIT!!! AXEL!!! N-NO!! LET GO, GET OFF!!!!DON'T!!! RENOOOOOOO!!!!" As Sora's pleas for mercy dissolved into uncontrollable laughter, Reno stumbled in, rubbing his eyes sleepily. He glared at the two, concluded no one was actually in grave danger and went back to bed, leaving Sora in the clutches of Axel's twisted amusement.

"A-axel, s-s-s-top!!!" Sora was laughing so hard, tears were rolling down his face and he couldn't breathe. His face was almost as red as Axel's hair when the pale teen stopped tickling him.

"Good morning,dearest little brother!!! The sun is shining, we're going to the studio, Cloud is coming…" Axel's sing-song tone halted suddenly as he realized what he'd just said, gasping overdramatically.

"Cloud is coming. Shit! Where's the…" Axel's curses trailed off as he dashed into his room, leaving Sora panting heavily on his bed.

"Hey, Cloud is coming!! Awesome! Axel? Axel where are you going? Don't you want to-" Axel flew past him, stumbling his way to the front door as he attempted to put his shirt and shoes on at the same time.

"Nope, sorry. I'd _love_ to stay but uh, I… um… I forgot I promised I'd take Vincent out to lunch!" Sora watched his brother quizzically as he rushed out the front door. Sora shrugged and headed to the bathroom. Axel would notice sooner or later his shirt was on backwards and his shoes didn't match.

* * *

Vincent stumbled out of bed, grumbling to himself as his head pounded in time with the banging on his front door. He threw his door open, fully prepared to give whoever was on the other side a good what- for when he was greeted with the surprising sight of Axel on his doorstep. The vile string of curses died on his lips as Axel let himself in, a cigarette in one hand and his phone in the other.

"It would be so great, Vince, if you had your phone on." Vincent scratched his head and watched the teen with bleary eyes as he sat on the couch and took a long drag, looking at Vincent expectantly.

"Well? Hurry up and get dressed, would you?"

"Why?"

Axel snorted, taking a long drag on his cancer stick.

"We're going to lunch." To say Vincent was shocked would be an understatement. He slowly moved to his bedroom, wondering what had gotten into Axel, when he remembered with a scowl. That redheaded bastard was just trying to get out of being there when Cloud arrived. Well, _two_ could play that game.

Picking up his phone, Vincent sent a text to a certain brunet, chuckling to himself.

Damn he was good.

* * *

Axel tapped his fingers impatiently on the table, his chin in his other hand. Vincent sat across from him, staring out the window. This, to say the least, was quite odd. They had finally picked a little café not far from the studio and they'd been waiting for their coffee for at _least_ twenty minutes. Axel was _not_ a patient person and Vincent was still upset he was being used. It was while contemplating this exploitation that Vincent had finally gotten a good look at what Axel was wearing.

"Axel?" Axel sighed heavily, ignoring the brunet, which did not suit Vincent at all.

"Listen, you may only be here because you're avoiding Cloud, but I'm still your manager. So if you _value_ your job, answer me, dammit." Axel turned surprised jade orbs to the man, raising a fine red eyebrow.

"Finally grow a backbone Vinnie?" Vincent sighed and shook his head. What did he see in the redhead anyways?

"Your shirt is on backwards, you pyroid freak. But whatever, I have to go." Vincent walked away, hands in his pockets as Axel stared after him.

Was pyroid even a _word_?

"Axel!!! There you are, come on Cloudy!" Sora pulled the blonde over to the table, grinning at his brother happily.

"Well, this is nice. Where'd Vinnie go? I thought he said-" Axel spat out a rather vile curse, hoping to hell that vampiric freak was hit by a car or struck by lightning or- wait… is vampiric a word? Eh, whatever.

"Anyways, so what have you been up to Cloud? Are you still working for Tifa?" Cloud shook his head, looking at his hands.

"No… I quit. I want to get out of Hollow Bastion. I was thinking of Twilight Town or maybe even staying here in Destiny." Axel stifled the groan that threatened to spill past his lips when Sora kicked him under the table. Hard.

"That's great!! You should definitely stay here, I mean, you shouldn't have any problem finding a job! We'll help, won't we Axel." Axel gave him a pained smile, nodding in agreement least the blue eyed boy kick him again.

"Thanks. So who's this Vinnie?" Axel leaned his head back on the seat and stared at the dingy, cracked and peeling ceiling above him, rather grossed out by its state of disrepair.

"Vincent Valentine, your old high school buddy, our manager and my own personal Satan." Sora laughed at this brother's displeasure with life at the moment.

"VincentValentine… wow, small world."

"You have no idea." Axel muttered, receiving another brutal kick form Sora. Damn Reno for letting that kid join the soccer team. He pulled up his pant leg to inspect the damaged when he finally noticed that his right shoe was infinitely different from his left one.

"And it was such a good morning too. God, Sora I'll meet you at the studio." Sora turned sapphire orbs to his brother and waved his hands in protest.

"No, no, you can't leave! We're supposed to be at the studio in… half an hour! You'll be late and Vinnie will be mad and then I'll have to kill you." Sora smiled innocently and Axel pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit he picked up from Leon, and sat back down, letting his head hit the table top with a thud.

"I hate you."

"Love you too big brother."

* * *

The walk to 'Fire Cross Records' studio was quiet pleasant. Cloud and Sora chatted easily and slowly, the sting in Cloud's heart began to lessen. He liked Destiny Islands and Sora's cheerful disposition was a nice change. Axel, well, Cloud wasn't so sure about Axel, but he figured if the two left each other alone, the world would be alright. Suddenly the brunet beside him took off at a dead run.

"Vinnie!!!!" Vincent turned in time to see the hyper active brunet slamming into him, almost knocking him over.

"Sora." Vincent groaned, prying the teen off his chest. The snickering to his left made Vincent look up and directly into a familiar cerulean gaze.

"Cloud?"

"Hey _Vinnie_, long time no see, aye?" Cloud said, still snickering. Vincent brushed himself off, glaring at the blond as he led the group inside, silently bellowing with triumph at Axel's sour mood.

"So you run a record agency now?" Vincent nodded, long strands of raven colored hair falling into his porcelain face before he brushed them away.

"Yes, Sora and Axel are part of a new band. They've be become quite popular if I may say so myself. Oh, by the way, Roxas quit." Sora stopped midstride and midsentence and stared at his manager. Axel scowled and hit the wall, cursing angrily. That little blonde punk…

"What do you mean he quit?! He can't quit!"

Vincent chuckled, sitting in the big leather chair behind his desk, picking up the ringing phone.

"Well, I'm afraid he can, and he did… Hello? Yes. Right now." Hanging up, Vincent leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips together thoughtfully as the blond across from him leaned against the wall.

"Leon?" Cloud's face scrunched up in thought as Sora spoke. Leon… he remembered that name. Recalling the face, Cloud scowled. He remembered that spoiled little rich kid, the one with the stick up his ass.

"Leon's going to be a bit late. He was trying to talk Roxas out of quitting. Apparently it didn't work. It looks like Leon's singing lead for now. Sora, do you have the new piece memorized?" Sora nodded enthusiastically, holding his worn drum sticks up.

"You betchya! It's perfect! My lucky sticks and I are ready to go!" Vincent shooed the brunet into the recording room as Axel went to get his bass. Vincent looked to the blond who sat on the edge of his desk, looking around idly.

"You know Cloud, Leon's a great vocalist and everything but there's just something missing when he sings."

Cloud raised a blond brow at his old friend, wondering just what in the heck Vincent was getting at. If he recalled correctly, Leon really _wasn't_ that great.

"I'd rather have him focusing on backup and guitar…" Nodding in understanding, Cloud turned his gaze to his cousin who sat behind a drum set, twirling his stick merrily, waiting for Vincent to give him the go ahead.

"So how would you like to sing lead?" Cloud whipped his head around to look at Vincent in astonishment.

"Excuse me?"

"I want you to sing lead. I think you're just what we're looking for." Cloud shook his head and was about to reply when he heard a gasp behind him. Sora and Axel stood in the doorway, Leon behind them with a deep scowl on his face.

"Seriously?!" Sora burst out, hopping over to Vincent and Cloud, a huge smile on his face.

"Cloud's going to sing lead? He's going to be a part of our band?! Oh. My. _God_. That's sooo awesome! We finally get to spend more time with you! Did you hear that Axel?! I always knew you had an awesome voice Cloudy-kins! This is going to be totally wicked!!!" The group proceeded to ignore the brunet's raving and Cloud looked up, noticing Axel's smirk. God, he _hated_ that smirk. It was one of those, ' _Haha_, _y__ou dumbass_' smirks. Shaking his head, Cloud sighed.

It was going to be a _long_ day.

* * *

A.n:

_Elli: -Grins- Tina's __Burrito__'__s:__The number one llama food in fandom!!_

**Ult**i: -sigh- Not the burrito's again…well, to all those reading this and NOT thinking about burrito's and llama's –glares at Elli's strange anatomy friend- Enjoi and review!

_Elli: Remember to feed your __llamas__ and eat Tina's burrito's!!!_

_**Elli and Ulti!**_


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